Article of clothing for supporting stockings



Aug. 5, 1969 R. R. THOMPSON ARTICLE 0F CLOTHING FOR SUPPORTING STOCKINGS Filed oct. 1o. 196e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iig 5 Fgl Ig. 6.

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RUBY A. THOMPSON He efe/s, Maw, Russin. @c Kan/v Aug. 5, 1969 R. R. THOMPSON ARTICLE 0F CLOTHING FOR SUPPORTING STOCKINGS Filed 0ct. 1o, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N vg/vro/P.

RUBY l?. THOMPSON BY HU? ATTORNEYS. Heee/s, ff/fcH, Passe/.L85 KERN United States Patent Oce 3,459,192 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 us. ci. 12s- 53s 4 claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An article of clothing for supporting stockings including a girdle with two depending leg portions, each leg portion having an annular lower edge, and an annular elastic band attached adjacent the edge of each leg portion and adapted to receive a stocking against an outwardly facing surface thereof and to fold upward around said edge to clamp the stocking to the leg of the wearer with the stocking extending over and covering the band. An additional annular elastic band may be attached to each leg portion above said one band to fold downward around the stocking and the upwardly folded band.

Many of the girdles in use today include means for supporting the stockings of the wearer. The support means typically is in the form of a plurality of clasps or clips suspended by straps from the girdle for engaging the stockings. Garter forms are also used for stocking supports, and the garters are either employed as separate articles or are included with the clasping arrangement suspended by the straps from the girdle. When the stocking is attached, the garter or the claps and straps remain outside the stocking producing an unsightly appearance.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved girdle with a support for a stocking, whereby the stocking when supported completely covers the support.

Another object of this invention is to provide a thin support resulting in a smooth appearance of the stocking when supported.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article of clothing in one piece for supporting stockings using no suspending straps and no clasps or clips.

A further object of this invention is to provide an article of clothing for supporting stockings which includes a girdle having two depending leg members, each leg member having an annular lower edge, and an annular elastic band attached adjacent the edge of each of leg members, with at least a portion of the band extending below the edge of the leg member and having an outwardly facing surface and adapted to receive a stocking against said surface and to fold upward around said edge clamping the stocking against the leg of the wearer with the stocking overlying the band.

It is another object of the invention to provide in such an article of clothing, a second annular elastic band fixed above the tirst band on each of the leg members, with the second upper band adapted to be folded downwardly over the upwardly folded first band.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a girdle and a stocking as supported on a wearers leg;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the girdle and support as in FIG. 2 before the stocking has been supported;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as in FIG. 3 with the stocking added prior to its being sup ported as in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views of another embodiment of the support, corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are views of another embodiment, corresponding to FIGS. 3, 4 and 2, respectively.

Referring to FIG. l of the drawing, a gridle 10 with a depending leg member 11 is shown on a leg 12 of the wearer, with a stocking 18 supported by the girdle.

An annular stocking support or band 16 (FIGS. 3 and 4), preferably of an elastic material, is attached, as for example by sewing, adjacent a lower edge 13 of each of the leg members 11. Attachment may be made at approximately the midheight 14 of the band 16. The bands 16 completely encircle the leg members 11 and each band includes a lower portion 20 extending below the lower edge 13 and an upper portion 21 overlying the leg member 11. The stocking 18 is drawn up outside the band 16, as shown in FIG. 4.

To support and secure the socking 18, the lower portion 20 of the support 16 is raised outwardly from the leg 12 of the wearer until the support portion 20 retains -the upper part of the stocking 18 adjacent the upper portion 21 of the support 16, as shown in FIG. 2. The axis of bending of the support 16 is an annular axis at approximately the midheight 14 of the support 16. The elasticity in the ysupport portion 20 will now bind and secure the upper part of the stocking 18 to the upper portion 21 and leg member 11.

Another embodiment of the invention is as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Referring to FIG. 6, an annular support or band 24, preferably of an elastic material, is attached, as by sewing, on a circumferential line at 26 to the lower edge 13 of the leg member 11 of the girdle 10. A loose stitch may be used providing a thread connection 27 between the band 24 and edge 13 and enabling the band to turn up in a less bulky manner. The support 24 is folded at 28 to form a double portion 30'. The double portion 30 is retained in this shape by attaching the end of the support 24, as by sewing, to the Support 24 on a circumferential line at 32 and provides a stiffer band. The stocking 18 is raised into position outside the girdle 10 and support 24 as shown by dashed lines in FIG. 6. The support 24 is then raised outwardly from the leg 12, about an annular axis at 26, until the stocking 18 is secured between the double portion 30 and the leg member 11, as shown in FIG. 5.

When the stocking is supported, no part of the means of support is visible as shown in FIG. 1. A substantially smooth appearance is acquired, which is an object of this invention. The stocking is supported by the support or band which in turn is a part of the girdle, being attached to the girdle without use of clasps or clips or suspending straps, which are further objects of this invention.

Another embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 wherein elements corresponding to those of the earlier described embodiments are identified by the same reference numerals. A [first annular support or band 40 is attached, preferably using the loose stitch thread connection 27, to the lower edge 13 of the leg member 11 of the girdle. A second similar annular band 42 is attached to the leg member 11, as by sewing, at a level above the first band 40. In a preferred form of manufacture, the second band 42 is disposed as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 7 for sewing, after which the band is folded upward to the position shown in solid lines.

In use, the first band 40 is folded downward and the second band 42 is folded upward as shown in FIG. 7. The top of the stocking 18 is pulled up over the lower band 40 (FIG. 7) after which the lower band is folded upward, clamping the stocking between the lower band and the girdle leg, as shown in FIG. 8. Then the second upper band 42 is folded downward over the stocking and first lower band, as shown in FIG. 9. This arrangement provides the desired smooth appearance. At the same time, the second band 42 provides additional support and in particular, prevents the downpull of the stocking from producing an outward downward rolling of the first band 40.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have bene disclosed and discussed, it will be understood that other applications of the invention are possible and that the embodiments disclosed may be subjected to various changes, modifications and substitutions without necessarily departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an article of clothing for supporting stockings, the combination of:

a girdle having two depending leg members, each leg member having an annular lower edge; and

an annular elastic band attached adjacent said edge of each of said leg members, with at least a portion of the band extending below the edge of the leg member and having an outwardly facing surface and adapted to receive a stocking against said surface and to fold upward about the lower portion of said leg member on the outside thereof, clamping the stocking against the leg of the wearer with the stocking extending over and covering the band.

2. An article of clothing as defined in claim 1 in which 4 each of said bands has an upper portion, a central portion and a lower portion and is attached at its central portion, with the upper portion overlying the leg member and the lower portion extending below the edge, and after the lower portion has been folded up is adapted to clamp the stocking between the resulting concentric portions of the band.

3. An article of clothing as defined in claim 1, in which each of said bands includes an annular upper edge and a prefolded double lower portion, each of said bands being attached at its upper edge and adapted to clamp the stocking, after the band has been folded up, between the resulting concentric double portion and leg member of the girdle.

4. An article of clothing as defined in claim 1 including a second annular elastic band attached to each of said leg members at a level above the one band, with at least a portion of the second band extending above said4 level and having an outwardly facing surface and adaptedA to fold downward around the stocking and upwardly folded one band, engaging said surface with the stocking.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,674,627 6/ 1928 Allen 2-240 3,249,110 5/1966 Bryan 128-519 3,253,599 5/1966 Bjorn-Larsen 128--538 3,334,634 8/1967 Jones 128-535 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

